Undergraduate Alumni: Lindsey Bishop Gutierrez, '09

Lindsey Bishop Gutierrez teaches Sixth Grade World History at BASIS Tucson North. She received her B.A. in Anthropology at the University of Arizona, with a minor in Art History, summa cum laude in 2009. Before pursuing her Master's degree in Anthropology with an emphasis in North America Archaeology at Columbia University in New York (M.A. 2015), she held a number of positions related to her archaeological interests. For example, she assisted Dr. Emma Blake in UA’s School of Anthropology with mapping projects and a ceramics database for the Marsala Hinterlands Survey, and she was an Archaeology Technician at Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest in Lakeside, Arizona. After completing her graduate degree she took a job as a GIS Technician/Archaeologist for a contract archaeology firm in Tularosa, New Mexico. Ms Gutierrez began her teaching career as a Teaching Fellow at BASIS Tucson Primary, and then became a Subject Expert Teacher in World History at BASIS in 2017.

When asked what attracted her to become an Anthropology major at UA, she replied: 

An Anthropology degree combined my love of analyzing social interactions with the cultural perspectives of people all over the world. I was enjoying Native American Art History at UA, but I wanted to know more about the beliefs, perspectives, and the way of life of the people living in these communities. Archaeological fieldwork opportunities offered by UA finally reeled me into Anthro as a major. I thought it was so wonderful that as an archaeologist I could combine observational data collection of science with social and cultural elements. I really cherish my experience as an Anthro major, and one of the most impactful courses I took was called Sense of Place, which combined outdoor field trips, archaeology, environmental, and geological observations of the Sonoran Desert. 

Ms. Gutierrez discussed the skills and knowledge she learned as an undergraduate Anthropology student that have been important to her in her present role as a history teacher: 

The Anthro program at UA gave me a great foundation for my time at Columbia, where I was able to learn about the critical issues facing indigenous communities of the past and present. Because of UA and Columbia, I feel more equipped to help my students critically analyze the past. Primary sources are important in my classes, but I'm also excited to introduce students to the material cultural remains and the shifting perspectives and debates of historians themselves. Those core Anthro classes still help me teach everything from "prehistory" to a discussion of how the environment impacted a civilization. As a teacher, I feel very lucky to be able to provide future generations with a well-rounded approach to learning about the diverse cultures of the world.

Should undergraduate students study Anthropology? Ms Gutierrez replied:

Undergraduates who appreciate multifaceted approaches to learning will find Anthropology very useful because it's so versatile and can be crafted to specific interests and future careers so easily. I was interested in Native American culture at UA and that led me to join an archaeological dig in Alaska, record shrine networks near Taos, NM, and create GIS maps for a private archaeology firm. For me, it was the most fascinating degree option with the maximum potential for exploring new places and skills.